The Mid Sussex Times May 1980

A FIRE fanned by a strong wind completely destroyed the steeple of the twelfth century Cuckfield Parish Church last week.

The Vicar, the Rev. Eric Hayden, said: the fire was spotted by the Guides as they arrived at the church for their meeting. The fire brigade was called and were at the church within 10 minutes.

The fire began on Thursday evening at 6.30 and it took firemen from Haywards Heath and Burgess Hill two hours to bring it under control—too late to save the steeple which was renewed seven years ago.

The steeple, a wooden construction of heavy beams and red cedar wood tiles, was described by a Cuckfield resident, Mr. Francis Granger, as being “dry as a bone”.

The collapsing central beam crashed the tomb of Charles Juniper who died in 1868. But the rooster, a well-known landmark at the top of the steeple, was saved. Damage is estimated to run into thousands of pounds.

Two policemen were slightly injured while fighting the fire, the cause of which is not known.

Mr. Hayden said that the church itself had been saved by the bravery of the firemen, who fought the blaze from within the narrow stair inside the steeple—and by the fact that the steeple collapsed in a south westerly direction.

“If it had dropped in an easterly direction it would have come through the roof and the whole church might have been lost,” he said.

Although the bells are still hanging in their cradle, it is not known whether they have been damaged. Repairs to the church would run into six figures, Mr. Hayden said.

Church sexton, Mr. Gordon Stuart, said that during the war the church steeple had been a landmark for American B.57 bombers when returning home. He said many American airmen had visited the church since and said that when having engine trouble they would look out for the church steeple.

German bombers also used the steeple as a landmark—the church being in a direct line with London.